Early Childhood Education Director Debbie Blumenthal
Religious School Director Joyce Bronstein
Early Childhood Education Asst. Director Keri Loventhal
Office Manager Shane Silverstein
ECE Administrative Assistant Jessica Jacoby
RS Administrative Assistant Sarah Karamas
Clergy Assistant Jill Rosenberg
Musical Director Mariano Dugatkin
Board of Trustees
President Felicia Toporoff
Vice President Dan Lubetkin
Immediate Past President Eric Feigenbaum
Treasurer Arnie Blitstein
Secretary Brianna Abrams
Trustee, Bingo Michael Roberts
Trustee, Building and Grounds Steve Plotkin
Trustee, Early Childhood Education Josh Atlas
Trustee, Endowment Jeff Landau
in
please send an email to: communications@templeetzchaim.org
Trustee, Financial Consideration Neal Arons
Trustee, Inclusion Paula Lefko
Trustee, Membership, Sarica Klein
Trustee, Personnel & Legal Affairs Josh Hopstone
Trustee, Programming Evan Robichaud
Trustee, Religion and Worship Cheryl Math
Trustee, Religious Education Adya Riss
Trustee, Security Paul Dryman
Trustee, Social Action Pam Friedman
Trustee, Ways & Means Donald Zimring
President, Men’s Club Mark Goldstein
President, Women of TEC Phyllis Dankberg & Elissa
Past
Past
Past
Past
Letters from Our Leaders
Rabbi Ari Averbach
rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org
The Pesach story is the central narrative of the Jewish people. It is a story of hope, of faith, of miracles. A reminder to not blindly trust people in power (not even Moses). A reminder that no matter how much we believe in God, it is our responsibility to bring about the changes we want to see in the world.
And yet, we don’t leave the seder feeling so hopeful for the future. We start the symbolic meal by reenacting slavery in so many ways, tasting the saltwater that is supposed to remind us of the tears we cried, and then eating something so bitter that we shed our own tears. We drink four glasses of wine, lean to the side like a free Roman, but live in the in-between of tenses. We were slaves; we are slaves. We were freed; we are not yet freed. The narrative goes back and forth throughout the seder. Sometimes, we speak in the past, present, and future tense in one small paragraph of text.
Pesach has always been one of my favorite holidays. I think it’s because Pesach does something that no other moment on the Jewish calendar does quite as boldly: it insists that we ask why.
So much of Jewish ritual life is built on powerful symbolism. We hold the lulav, we light the candles, we hear the shofar — and these are profound acts. But often we let the symbols do the heavy lifting. We trust that meaning is somewhere in there, and we move on. Pesach won’t let us do that. The seder is essentially a structured exercise in refusing to let a single symbol go unexamined. Why this night? Why the spring? Why do we break the middle matzah and not the first? Why does the number four keep showing up — four cups, four children, four questions? Why the bitter herb after the matzah? Why do we open the door for Elijah, lean to the left, dip twice, hide
Perhaps the seder, put together about 2,000 years ago, is saying, “This happened long ago. It is happening right now. It will certainly happen again in the future.” Which also begs the question – if God saved us then, then why isn’t God saving us now? Even the writer of the psalms (likely King David and his contemporaries 3,000 years ago) were angrily asking this question. Even the commentators of the Bible (hundreds of years ago) are asking this question.
Asking the hard questions does not make us less faithful or less Jewish. And not having an answer is not a sign of weakness. As we recall this story around the seder table, it is supposed to hurt. It is supposed to be upsetting. But also – at the very same moment – when we remember the Exodus, we are reminded of the miracles that surround us every day. Of divine love. Of our infinite potentiality.
something and then send our kids searching for it?
The genius of the Haggadah is that it doesn’t just tolerate these questions — it demands them. The whole text is built around the idea that asking is itself a sacred act, that curiosity is not a departure from tradition but the very engine of it. And here’s what I find most remarkable: the Haggadah rarely gives us tidy answers. For every question it raises, it opens two more. We leave the table full — of food, yes, but also of loose threads, unfinished arguments, new wonderings.
I think that’s why Pesach renews us the way it does. Not because it settles anything, but because it reminds us that our tradition is worth questioning, which is to say it is worth caring about deeply. A story you never interrogate is a story you’ve stopped living inside.
The longest Mitzvah, a spiritual marathon, is about to arrive with Passover: counting of the Omer. We are spiritually going through a change process from slavery to freedom. The Passover week with its two Seders is many people’s favorite. What comes afterward, the beginning of the second Seder, is mostly forgotten except the first day of the Omer which is announced on the second Seder night. The counting of the Omer continues for seven weeks. This wonderful mitzvah is not on most people’s radar; I am troubled about it and I wonder why?
We do count many of the forty-nine days as a congregation when we have services. However, we don’t have services every day, so the mitzvah must rely on you. The forty-nine days of the Omer are divided into seven weeks, and according to the mystics, each week has a unique theme. Each week has a primary quality, and each of its seven days explores that quality through the lens of another one of the seven attributes. In this way, each day receives a sub-theme that repeats across all seven weeks.
The first week focuses on loving-kindness, so its first day is loving-kindness within loving-kindness. The second day is discipline within loving-kindness, etc. The second week focuses on discipline, so its first day is loving-kindness within discipline, and its second day is discipline within discipline, etc. This pattern continues throughout all seven weeks: the third week is beauty; the fourth is endurance, the fifth humility, the sixth foundation, and the seventh kingship. The idea is to create a process of inner change that helps you grow into a better version of yourself. Counting the Omer becomes a meaningful journey of self-de velopment and self-refinement. There are journals and phone apps that keep track of the counting and help you take part in the process. Saying the blessing for the day and the ability to write a reflection or two about what the specific day means to you. The overarching idea is to prepare oneself for the revelation on Mt. Sinai, where YOU received the Torah with its two tablets. It gives you an opportunity to improve and be prepared to receive the Torah again with new fresh outlook on life. Chag Sameach!
TEC Education
Debbie Blumenthal, Early Education Director
debbieb@templeetzchaim.org
April is a joyful and meaningful month in our Early Childhood Education program, filled with rich learning experiences, celebrations, and creativity. We begin the month with our celebration of Passover. Our preschool children have already been introduced to the story of Moses and Pharoah, and classrooms are filled with the sounds of Passover songs, and the learning of blessings for our Seders. During Passover week, our preschool classrooms will take turns participating in their own classroom Seders, where they will read from their Haggadot, sing holiday songs, and watch Miss Debbie tell the story of Pesach on her felt board.
This month we are also excited to welcome a special musical guest. Thanks to our parent group, PTEC, musician Jason Mesches will be visiting our school on Tuesday, April 14th. We look forward to a lively and interactive musical experience that will bring joy and energy to our students and staff!
Later in the month, we will turn our focus to Israel as we celebrate Yom Ha’ Atzmaut. Our preschoolers will embark on a “pretend” airplane journey to Israel, sparking their imaginations and curiosity. This immersive experience will include a variety of hands-on activities such as building a Western Wall, leaving our notes, shopping in an Israeli shuk, singing Israeli songs a tent in the desert with Miss Bobbie, and tasting Israeli foods.
In addition, our students will explore creativity through the Artist of the Month, Gustav Klimt. Through age-appropriate projects, children will be introduced to his unique artistic style and encouraged to express themselves through art in their classroom.
We look forward to a month filled with meaningful traditions, joyful celebrations, and enriching learning experiences. Happy Passover!
Joyce Bronstein, Religious School Director
joyce@templeetzchaim.org
Passover will be celebrated in the month of April/Nisan, with Seders held around the world.
It is inspiring to think about the fact that this meaningful ceremony has remained essentially unchanged for centuries. The Torah teaches that the first Seder took place on the eve of the Israelites’ swift departure from Egypt. Our Seder connects us to that original moment, linking past, present, and future through shared tradition.
During the last week of March, Religious School students in grades TK–2 participated in a Seder led by Rabbi Averbach, Hazzan Noam, and Mr. Steve. The energy, enthusiasm, and joy were truly wonderful to be part of. Older students in grades 3–7 also took part in classroom Seders with their teachers. It is always inspiring to see everyone come together to celebrate this special holiday, sharing ideas about the meaning and symbolism of Passover.
Thank you to all the parents and grandparents who volunteered their time to help set up these Seders. Your efforts made it possible for our students to enjoy this meaningful experience.
As your children grow up, their understanding of Passover will deepen. I encourage you to involve them in the preparations as much as possible. They can help with cleaning the house, making haroset, searching for chametz, and setting the Seder table, all of which are wonderful ways to engage them.
Whether your Seder is traditional or creative, the order and symbolism remain constant. While the people gathered around the table may change over time, the discussions and meanings continue to grow and evolve. The rituals and foods of Passover help everyone experience the warmth and joy of freedom, rooted in the courage and determination of our ancestors.
It is essential that we create lasting memories for our children. They will one day carry on the traditions and share their memories with their own families. Through experiencing Seders at home and at school, we strive to give them moments that will carry forward into the next generation.
The cycle continues, memories deepen, and our traditions grow stronger. From my family to yours, wishing you a meaningful and joyous Passover filled with moments to treasure.
.1.26
Religious School Mock Seder
TEC Community
Phyllis Dankberg & Elissa Lazarus, Co-President, Women of TEC
After a week of celebrating Passover, we spring into the next phase in our daily lives. Did you all experience the post-Pesach carb binge? Was it bread, pasta, pizza? The routines and all the activities that we’re involved with give us a sense of community and connection that we experience during the Seders. For The
Woman of TEC that means planning programs. Though the flyer is not out yet there is a game day planned. We hope to see you on Sunday, May 3rd for Game Day! It will be a nice time to meet friends, chat, relax, snack and laugh.
On April 22nd, we will be joining a national recycling challenge, Beyond the Bag sponsored by Trex. This program keeps the plastic we use out of landfills helping the earth.
Instead of throwing used ziploc bags or your dry-cleaning bags into the trash, place your used plastic in a collection bag (a plastic grocery bag works). Check the flyer for all the different types of everyday plastic you can recycle.
Not sure if your plastic can be recycled? Try these tests.
• See if your plastic will stretch when pulled. If yes, then you can recycle it. Now you can put it in your recycling bag.
• If the plastic is shiny and or makes a crinkly/crunchy sound in your hand. If yes, do NOT recycle.
When your home collection bag is full take it to the Temple. Place your plastic in a NexTrex Recycle Bin located at the School Building or at the main Temple building.
Here is how the national Challenge works. Each week all the plastic that has been collected from the bins at Temple is weighed photographed and the results are sent to the Trex company. Every pound of plastic counts.
Our goal by June 30th is 250 pounds. If we do that, we will receive a gift valued at $100 from Trex. Not bad for something that could have gone to the landfill. The more plastic we collect the more prizes we are eligible to win. So, let’s start saving our plastic. To learn more visit NexTrex.com.
Mark Goldstein, President, Men’s Club
Hi Everyone! This last month was full of fun and memorable events. Thanks to everyone who visited the Men’s Club Purim Carnival beer tent. It was a lot of fun meeting so many new temple members and parents and grandparents of religious school and preschool kids. Hope you enjoyed a new beer and took a moment to cool down on that hot day.
We just held our 25th Scholar in Residence Weekend. We welcomed Dr. Revital Somekh-Goldreich, an award-winning scholar, educator, and artist who treated us to a new approach to Jewish topics in an interactive and impactful way using art and sensory experience. The theme was “Beyond the Text: Building Bridges of Meaning from Purim to Passover through Visual Theology” and provided an engaging weekend of learning and discovery for our TEC community. Thank you to Mark Zucherman for chairing the event and his incredible organizational skills; thank you to Marshall Rosen to captaining the Friday night dinner; thank you to Myles Simpson, Steve Borochoff and Marc Firestone for assisting with the Saturday night Havdallah wine tasting and Sunday morning brunch. Plus, thank you to the other volunteers for making the weekend a success!
We’re continuing regular, monthly Men’s Night Out meetups. The fourth Wednesday Men’s Night Out at Naughty Pine Brewing Co. in Westlake Village will be Wednesday, April 15 from 7 pm – 9 pm. Come for a few minutes or all two hours. It’s
a good opportunity to meet other men from TEC.
Upcoming events include Men’s Club/WoTEC shabbat April 3-4. Sign up now to participate! We will soon announce havdallah hikes and a new TEC Cycling Club – get ready to roll!
Plus, Men’s Club members will be delivering holocaust memorial candles for lighting on Yom HaShoah as part of FJMC’s Yellow Candle Program. Make sure to light your Shoah Yellow Candle at sundown on Monday, April 13. For all of the above, see email and flyers for more information.
We welcome your participation in organizing, leading or assisting in these and other programs. All are welcome to Men’s Club Board Meetings regularly held the third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm with the next meeting set for April 21.
B’nai Mitzvah
Shaye Amato April 25
Shabbat Shalom. My name is Shaye Amato. I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Thousand Oaks when I was 10 years old. That’s when I started attending TEC Religious School. Since then, I’ve made so many great memories and built wonderful friendships that I’ll always be grateful for. I am currently a seventh grader at Colina Middle School, where I’m part of the computer science elective. I’ve also loved playing basketball for as long as I can remember, and it continues to be one of my favorite things to do. Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is a very special moment for me. It represents growing up, taking on more responsibility, and becoming a full member of the Jewish community. Through my time at Religious School, I’ve learned a lot about Jewish traditions, values, and what it means to be part of this community. I would like to thank my amazing teachers—Joyce, Cantor Kenny, Toby, and Rabbi Ari—for all the time and effort they’ve put into teaching me and helping me prepare for today. I also want to thank my tutor, Rivka, for guiding me and helping me get ready for this important day. Most importantly, I want to thank my parents for always supporting me, encouraging me, and helping me get to this moment. I truly could not have done this without you. Thank you all for being here today to celebrate this special day with me. It means so much to share with my family, friends, and community. Shabbat Shalom.
Noah Matan Carmona
Born March 13, 2026
Parents: Rachel and David Carmona
Grandparents: Miriam and Mike Carmona
Sheryl and Sidney Gutmann
Jonah Emerson Fox
Born March 16, 2026
Parents: Rebecca Gindi and Ben Fox
Grandparents: Judy and Jack Gindi, Nancy Liu and Victor Fox
Tributes
Barbara & Harvey Scherr Memorial Fund
In Memory of Marlene Frankel
Barbara Unger
In Memory of Edward Rothenberg
Marsha Rosenblum
Community Garden & Bird Sanctuary
In Honor of Jennifer Lysobey’s Birthday
Patricia Kaye
Dunaier Music Fund
In Memory of John (Yonni) Tollman
Lisa Tollman
In Memory of Karen Cashen
Nomi Freed
Early Childhood Education Fund
In Memory of Howard Landun
Doreen Landun-Querido
In Honor of the Birth of Baby Boy Teitelbaum
Emily Khani
In Memory of Michelle Rosenberg
Richard & Barbara Rosenberg
In Memory of Bob Landun
Doreen Landun-Querido
Elisa Feldman Memorial Religious School Scholarship Fund
In Memory of Rosalyn Gleimer
Ellen Hustead
In Memory of Betty Wechsler
In Memory of Benjamin Barney
Irwin & Ilene Barney
In Appreciation of Rabbi Averbach.
Thank you for the Passover Mac n’
Cheese Recipe
Les & Debbie Feldman
In Memory of Samuel Rosen
In Memory of Rachel Rosen
In Memory of William Rosen
In Memory of Sylvia Rosen
Marshall & Roni Rosen
In Memory of Esther Grifkin
Melinda Garabedian
In Memory of Gertrude Altman
Nomi Freed
In Honor of the Special Birthdays of Debbie and Les Feldman
In Honor ofMyles Simpson’s Birthday
In Honor of David Munowitch’s Birthday
Patricia Kaye
Fienberg-Lerner Chapel Minyah Fund
In Memory of Diane Berman
Patricia Kaye
Hazzan Noam’s Discretionary Fund
In Memory of Peter Helliwell
In Memory of Karen Cashen
Kendra Sternberg
Inbar Scholarship and Education Fund
In Memory of Sophie Goldenberg
Merrill Goldenberg
Jotkowitz Camp Ramah Scholarship Fund
In Memory of Pearl Witkin
Leah Shechter
In Memory of Sidney Rosen
In Memory of Marvin Rosen
In Memory of Israel Rosen
In Memory of Arthur Levene
In Memory of Anita Levene
Marshall & Roni Rosen
Kiddush Fund
In Memory of Jean Kay Yehudas bat Kune
Michael & Pamma David
Lipnick RSSF
In Memory of Edward Rothenberg
Marsha Rosenblum
Men’s Club Fund
In Memory of Lori Pullan Weiss
Jeff & Sheri Schoenwald
Men’s Club Scholar-in-Residence
In Memory of Nanci Lewin
Frank Lewin
In Honor of Joel Shrater’s Birthday
Patricia Kaye
Men’s Club Silverstein Humanitartian Fund
In Memory of Edward Rothenberg
Marsha Rosenblum
Ner Tamid Education & Community Center Fund
In Memory of Roslyn Dallek
Susan Cohen
Rabbi Averbach’s Discretionary Fund
Anne Moore-Ross
In Memory of Pauline Garfinkel
Arnie Garfinkel
In Memory of Lawrence Cohen
Dale Cohen
In Memory of Edward Neufeld
Deborah Davis & Zane Averbach
In Memory of Morris Moskowitz
Harvey Moskowitz
In Memory of Ruth K. Waters
Hattie Wolf
In Memory of Matthew Schoenwald
Jeff Schoenwald
Kim Merjan
In Memory of Morris Eisenoff
Larry Joshua
In Memory of Dave Yukelson
Marla Yukelson
Marshall & Roni Rosen
In Memory of Sara Litmanovich
Miriam Carmona
In Memory of Joseph Yaffa
In Memory of Mildred Bordofsky
Neil & Carolyn Bordofsky
In Honor of Valerie Knight’s Birthday
In Honor of Ellen Zucker’s Birthday
In Honor of Lori Lubetkin’s Birthday
In Honor of Gideon Manzur’s Birthday
In Honor of Jeff & Sheri Schoenwald’s
Anniversary
Patricia Kaye
Rabbi Averbach’s Discretionary Fund (cont.)
In Honor of Purim
Patti Jo Wolfson
In Memory of Richard Manes
Randy & Debbie Manes
In Memory of Justin Koppel
Richard Koppel
In Memory of Paula Winreb
Robert & Betty Zonshine
In Memory of Lori Pullan Weiss
Ron & Liz Groden
In Memory of Sylvia Groden
Ronald Groden
In Memory of Lillian Reuben
Sandra Reuben
In Memory of Irving Malchicoff
Sheldon Malchicoff
In Memory of Arlyn Pomush
Steve Pomush
In Memory of Harold Gilbard
Steven Gilbard
In Memory of Leah Farbenbloom
Sylvia Weiss
In Memory of Steven Somogyi
Neil & Carolyn Bordofsky
In Memory of Celia Gorman
Sandy Rosenfeld
In Memory of Robert Byer
Andrew Byer
In Memory of Selig Spero
Lynda Kessler
In Memory of Florence Renny Golditch
Dale Cohen
In Honor of Selling Chametz
Marie Rubens
Eliah Atlas
Religious School Fund
In Memory of Frances Jeanette Wolf
Randee Paller
In Memory of Gary Levine
Maureen Levine
Sandee Tischler RSSF
In Memory of Mac Ratzan
Dawne Ratzan
In Memory of Sam Carlin
Dawne Ratzan
Social Action Fund
In Memory of Stan Rothman
Bonnie Rothman
In Memory of Kari Munowitch
David Munowitch & Emily Habib
In Memory of Karen Cashen
Jerrald & Deborah Cohen
In Honor of Feed the Hungey for Harbor
House
Myles & Gail Simpson
In Honor of Julie Saul’s Birthday
In Honor of Judy Mayer’s Birthday
Patricia Kaye
In Memory of Lawrence Oberman
Robin Oberman
In Memory of Helen Odoroff
Robyn Krieger
Temple General Fund
In Memory of Aizik Pivovarov
Alik Shulman & Yevgeniya
Belenkaya-Shulman
Purim 2026 was amazing! Thank you
Cindy Goldberg
Brett Molotsky
In Memory of Sarah Jacobs
In Memory of Sam Jacobs
Harold Jacobs
In Memory of Phil Marko
Reuben Finkelstein
In Memory of Lily Malchicoff
Sheldon Malchicoff
In Memory of Anna Konigsberg
Shirley Bressler
In Memory of Lawrence Cohen
Stephanie Shipow
In Memory of Nancy Colton
Ted Wasserman
In Memory of Jeffrey Penso
William Jacobs
In Memory of Sonya Gutman
In Memory of Yefim Gutman
Zinovy & Tatyana Gutman
Tzedakah Fund
In Memory of Daniel Presser
Francine Finkelstein
In Memory of Robert Treisman
Robin Oberman
In Memory of Jay Shery
Susan Cohen
USY Youth & Scholarship Fund
In Memory of Ida S. Kaufman
Harley Kaufman
Women of TEC
Well Wishes for Ann Moore-Ross
Shirley Lipkin
Helping a child go to a Jewish Camp
Katya Schwartz
In Memory of Alan Lipkin
In Memory of Dora Treger
In Memory of Morris Lipkin
Well Wishes for Elissa Lazarus
Well Wishes for Bas Van Buren
Shirley Lipkin
Women of TEC Torah Fund
In Memory of Stephen Ross
In Memory of Martin Fleiss
Anne Moore-Ross
In Memory of Jack Chadroff
In Memory of Florence Brookstein
Edward Chadroff
In Memory of Theodore Fleser
Holly Seery
In Memory of Edna Gray
In Memory of Louis Gray
William Tenenbaum
Find 5 differences
Find the Words
PASSOVER
MAROR
PHAROAH
SEDER
LIBERATION
AFIKOMEN PLAGUES
WINE MOSES BASKET
How’s your Hebrew?
Can you draw the item in the correct location on the seder plate? Feel free to quiz your parents for help.
Write English Translation Draw the items on the Seder plate
ANSWER KEY
Will the mouse find his way to the matzah?
The Mitzvah Committee is here to help...
• Large plastic trash bags and remember your loved ones.
MEMORIAL RECEPTION
Services offered by Women of TEC Mitzvah Committee
What to Expect
We will be at your house a day or two before the funeral, or as time permits, for planning and any questions. We will arrive at your house half hour to one hour before you leave for the cemetery to receive any last-minute instructions. Our volunteers will be there to accept all deliveries and complete the set-up.
We will provide:
• Handwashing station to be set up outside, in front of the door, including water pitcher, paper towels, TV tray and trash bag
• Hard-boiled eggs (12)
• Challah, wine and mini wine cups
• Large and small paper plates, napkins, and cutlery
• Hot and cold cups
• Ice cubes in a cooler
• Large coffee maker, coffee, tea bags
• Sugar, sweeteners, mocha mix
Family provides:
• Tablecloth, serving platters and utensils
• Cold drinks, water bottles
• Folding chairs
Have the deli/bakery deliver:
• Platters of food, bread, salads, cakes, etc.
Special Instructions for the deli/bakery:
• Be sure to schedule these items to be delivered at the same time the funeral is scheduled to begin.
• Remind them not to mix meat and dairy on the same platter.
To ask questions or make arrangements
Contact the Temple Office at 805-497-6891 or inquire via email at Shiva@templeetzchaim.org
After hours, please contact Roni Rosen at 818-585-9449
